Shelf Life Of Different Food

Most men — especially single men — are renowned for their carelessness around expiration dates; open your fridge and you will likely find at least one expired food product, and a quick glance around the kitchen will surely reveal a few improper storing practices.

Such neglect isn't entirely attributable to laziness; it's not as though men can't seem to find the strength to reach into the back of the fridge to check if the mayo has turned. People often misunderstand expiration dates or simply aren't aware that some comestibles do not last as long as they think.

Needless to say, knowing when something has expired is important, and proper storing habits can prevent some nasty surprises. If you have ever taken a big gulp or curdled milk, this article will help you understand why that happens.

types of shelf life

There are two types of shelf life: Date Packaged and Expiration Date.

Manufacturer's Date Packaged shows when a particular food was packaged and how long the item in question will maintain quality taste and nutrient potency. This information doesn't mean a food will be bad after it passes the date.

A perfect example is the date on some brands of chips. They show when the chips were packaged and how long they will stay fresh, but once the chips pass the recommended freshness date they don't go bad, they slowly become a bit soggy and (more) greasy.

Expiration Dates inform consumers when to expect food to go bad. The date on a carton of milk is an expiration date in that it only indicates when the product starts to go bad. Whether or not a particular food will outlive this time frame or spoil in advance depends on storing conditions.

when good food goes bad

Shelf life is affected by oxygen, fat, moisture, heat, and time. The more fat a food contains and the longer it is exposed to oxygen, moisture and heat, the faster it will spoil. In fact, the shelf life of some long-lasting products, like powdered milk, will vary depending on the amount of fat they contain.

Once food starts to go bad, it loses nutritional value, changes flavor, odor, and becomes rancid. Food can also lose shelf life if it's stored in exceedingly cold temperature and you're left with what is commonly referred to as freezer burn .

determining shelf life

Understanding how long aliments last after they have been opened can be confusing, so let's examine what one needs to know when trying to figure out a product's shelf life.

Keep in mind that almost every food has unopened and opened freshness. Unopened products usually last longer, though this does not apply to meat, which lasts longer when cooked.

Most foods have a "best before" date that usually refers to its unopened state. Such information clearly indicates when a food will start to lose its quality. If a food states an unspecific unopened expiration date and an opened expiration date, the product in question should never exceed the unopened date.

In other words, if the information on a jar of mayo states that it can last six months before being unopened and one month after being opened, one should never wait six months before opening the product thinking there's some sort of bonus added after the food in question has been opened.